Jan 25, 2019

14,000 unpaid IRS workers didn't show up despite orders from Trump

Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty

Nearly half of the 30,000 Internal Revenue Service employees that the Trump administration ordered to work without pay did not report this week, with tax season set to officially begin on Jan. 28, 2 House aides told the Washington Post.

The big picture: Sensing that an out-of-operation IRS could spell disaster for the millions of Americans expecting to receive tax returns, the Trump administration called 60% of the agency's workforce back to the office earlier this month. IRS employees who process tax refunds are among the agency's lowest paid, and are set to miss their second straight paycheck on Day 35 of the government shutdown.

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Axios

Updated 7 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 4 p.m. ET: 31,175,205 — Total deaths: 962,076— Total recoveries: 21,294,229 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 4 p.m. ET: 6,829,956 — Total deaths: 199,690 — Total recoveries: 2,590,695 — Total tests: 95,121,596 — Map.
Health: CDC says it mistakenly published guidance about COVID-19 spreading through air.
Media: Conservative blogger who spread COVID-19 misinformation worked for Fauci's agency.
Politics: House Democrats file legislation to fund government through Dec. 11.
World: "The Wake-Up Call" warns the West about the consequences of mishandling a pandemic.

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Axios

31 mins ago - Politics & Policy

McConnell: Senate has "more than sufficient time" to process Supreme Court nomination

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a floor speech Monday that the chamber has "more than sufficient time" to confirm a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the election, and accused Democrats of preparing "an even more appalling sequel" to the fight over Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation.

Why it matters: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said "nothing is off the table next year" if Republicans push ahead with the confirmation vote before November, vowing alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to use "every procedural tool available to us to ensure that we buy ourselves the time necessary."

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Alayna Treene

3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

House Democrats file legislation to fund government through Dec. 11

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

House Democrats on Monday released their proposal for short-term legislation to fund the government through December 11.

Why it matters: This is Congress' chief legislative focus before the election. They must pass a continuing resolution (CR) before midnight on Oct. 1 to avoid a government shutdown — something both Hill leaders and the White House have claimed is off the table.